Week 11
Avoiding the ship is decided by all, and a question about pirate flags is brought up - currently no flags are flying.Ethen asks for everyone’s passports to fill in employment lists to help avoid undue scrutiny.
Watches are organised, both to keep an eye on the fog and other ships. The knocking in the ship fog continues, and a large fog bank is observed, marking the edge of the Seas. Jaxzon and Iliqua hears heavy breathing, casting detect magic returns big magic (abjuration). Both hear humming, and Jaxzon falls asleep, but is awakened by Iliqua.
A sound like the hatch opening and closing is heard, Iliqua and Jaxzon investigate. Iliqua messages everyone to wake them up just in case trouble is coming. A track is discovered going into the hatch, Misty checks on Ethen and finds him missing from his room.
Zer0 volunteers to go into the fog. A rope is tied and the hatch is opened, Zer0 steps into the fog with instructions to find Ethen and tug the rope. Jaxzon asks his goddess for information on the fog - he starts glowing and Mournkeld is offered, possibly a name.
Zer0 hears crying and wailing in the fog, feels a pull towards a different coloured section. The end of the rope is reaches and the party tugs on the rope to indicate that he should return. On the way back, something grabs his ankle, but can’t be seen. He returns to the hatch/portal and attempts to jump out, Misty attempts to help but falls in. The others also help - Misty returns without issue, but Zer0 is blocked by something.
Zer0 escapes with help from Jaxzon, but feels like something of him has been left behind in the fog, feeling more exhausted. Iliqua hunts for information in the captains room, but finds nothing. Jaxzon anchors the boat to try to make things safer for a rest and the party attempts a long rest.
Iliqua does some research in his book, learns very little that is useful. Ethen’s gear is missing along with him, but clothing and other minor things remain in the room. Misty finds an scrunched up letter to Ethen’s dead father.
Spells are cast to help out and the party (sans Kirv) descend into the fog. Sorrel is feeling giddy, but is broken out with a punch from Jaxzon. The party walks toward the sickly light, gathering mist/dew and tasting strangeness. The crying and wailing return, with footsteps echoing around.
Jaxzon forges ahead faster than the rest, starts to feel scared, but reaches a door that looks like one on the ship. Misty pulls out her magic lantern and scans around, the door looks normal, but the walls show faces. Misty panic casts Shadow Rake to no effect.
The door is opened, the room beyond looks like the storage of our ship, but seemingly larger. Hundreds of mannequins made from the items found in a ship (buckets, etc). Simply constructed near the door, but more detailed away from the door. Iliqua takes a bucket from one and throws it away - the bucket returns by some means.
A loud, strained voice is heard, saying Mournkeld. Questions are asked of the voice, but no answers are gained, other than “Fear me”. More wimpering and crying is heard, sounding like Ethen. Iliqua attempts to talk his way out, and a game of hide and seek is started.
Jaxzon starts pushing over mannequins, one of them opens up and damages his hands. Iliqua’s unseen servant does some scouting, reporting something is found. Jaxzon pokes the large mannequin, hearing Ethen’s voice. Ethen is found in a small cage within the mannequin, surrounded by corpses.
Jaxzon enters the room, gets pulled in, and the mannequin comes to life. Iliqua detects a portal opening and closing.
Jaxzon walks up to the cage, hears Ethen being harrassed. Jaxzon’s brother appears behind him, asks why he was abandoned. An attempt to open the bars, initially blocked by his brother. A second attempt works, giving Jaxzon a brief glimpse of a bloated, dead body. Jaxzon puts Ethen to sleep to try and calm the fear.
Misty heads off and finds a mirror. Zer0 picks up the mirror, uses it to find a blue blob. Turning to face it, sees an abnormally dark patch. Jaxzon and Ethen return, the blue blob returns to the center of the room.